The NFL is no stranger to high-profile feuds between legendary players, and a new one appears to be brewing—this time between former All-Pro wide receiver Chad Johnson and Hall of Famer Cris Carter. It all started when Ocho claimed he could beat Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter in a one-on-one matchup ten times out of ten, even at the age of 47.
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Carter wasn’t impressed. He publicly dismissed the bold claim and took shots at Johnson’s career in the process.
“There were points in Chad’s career, you had to go out there and tell him what to do because he couldn’t get open to save his life. He couldn’t get open against average guys.”
Carter questioned Johnson’s route-running skills and his ability to create separation during his playing days. He went as far as suggesting that Johnson often needed help understanding where to go on the field because he struggled to get open, even against average defensive backs.
Ocho has finally responded to all of the jabs and insults aimed at him. Chad Johnson took the high road—at least initially, wishing Cris Carter well in his current and future endeavors. He emphasized that he’s been thriving since retiring, proudly claiming he’s now “scoring touchdowns in life.” However, emotions eventually got the best of him.
“Child, please. What the hell does it matter? Ok, you scored double-digit touchdowns. Okay, cool. You want a cookie?”
The former Bengals WR asserted that he doesn’t care about Carter’s stats or the fact that he scored so many TDs, saying he doesn’t pay attention to stats and numbers because they are misleading and don’t paint the full picture.
“Sometimes I listen to things, and everyone’s situation is different. So stuff like that, I pay it no mind because everything is predicated on numbers and based on what they did. Where I was, I did the best I could with the cards I was dealt with and I did a one hell of a job. I don’t care nothing about what you did. Why is my name even being brought up?”
By the end of his response, Johnson couldn’t resist throwing down a challenge. He called out the Hall of Famer to a one-on-one matchup to settle the debate once and for all, confidently declaring that he’d lock Carter up and prove he still has it.
How does Johnson stack up against Carter?
The former Vikings wideout played 16 seasons, appearing in 234 games and recording 1,101 receptions. Over that span, he racked up 13,899 receiving yards, the 13th most in NFL history, and 130 touchdowns, which ranks 4th all-time.
A two-time First-Team All-Pro and one-time Second-Team All-Pro, he also earned eight Pro Bowl selections. Despite his impressive résumé, he surpassed 1,300 receiving yards only once, with a career-high of 1,371. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
Chad Johnson, on the other hand, played 11 seasons and appeared in 167 games. He finished his career with 766 receptions for 11,059 yards and 67 touchdowns. Like Carter, he was a two-time First-Team All-Pro and one-time Second-Team All-Pro, with six Pro Bowl nods. Ocho eclipsed 1,300 yards four times in his career, with a personal best of 1,440 yards.
What began as a bold boast from Ocho has now evolved into a full-blown generational feud, with each player drawing support from around the NFL community. While it may appear to have quieted down, the tension still lingers. With Carter likely to respond and others continuing to weigh in, the back-and-forth seems far from over.
